Telephone-meter system and apparatus.



R. H. MANSON. TELEPHONE METER SYSTEM AND, APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED APB.18, 1907i M5O Patented may 17,1910

ED STATES 1 A RAY 'H. MANSON, 0F ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEA-N ELECTRIC COMPANY, 032* ELYRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION Q1? OHIO.

TELEPHONE-METER SYSTEM AND AIPARATUS.

Application filed A'pril 1a, 1907. Serial No. 369,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I RAY- H. MANsoN, a

citizen of the -United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tele )hone-Meter Systems and Apparatus, of which the following is a s ecification, reference being had therein to tie accompanying drawing. 7

My invention relates to telephone meter systems and apparatus in general, and particularl to such as are designed and constructs for measuring and registering the duration or length of time the telephone'is in use, as distinguished from the numberof times it is used, Meters used for my present purpose are generally designated as elapsed time meters.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an electrically driven registering meter connected to the line circuit of the telephone instruments and designed to be operated bya current in the line to record the total length of time that the instruments are used.

In carrying out my invention I provide an electric motor for operatin the registering mechanism of the meter, t is motor being connected in series in the line with the telephone instrument and operated by current flowing in the line when the receiver is oil the hook. It will thus be seen that the meter will register the entire time that the receiver is off the hook, which will include of course the time required in making the connection with the called subscriber as well as the time actually consumed in the conversation. The charge for this service is arranged, in practice, on an equitable basis determined by experlence, by deducting a percentage of the total time registered by the meter, so that the subscriber will not be overcharged.

The invention consists in the novel features and construction of the electrically operated registering meter and the combination of circuits and connections of the same in a telephone system as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a telephone system and meter, the meter mechanism being shown in enlarged detail.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustratin another type of electric motor for driving't e registering lnechanlsm of the meter.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a subscribers station of a telephone system which includes the regular transmitting and receiving instruments, and in addition thereto the electric meter C. The subscribers instruments are connected as usual with the central office by line wires 1 and 2 which terminate in spring jack J on the switchboard. Any preferred llne indicator and cut-oii representedby K and L may be employed at the central otlice in connection with jack J, those shown being of a well known type which need not be. described, as they form no part of the present invention. A second subscribers station, representing the called subscriber, is dia rannnat-ically shown at B and connected by ine wires with spring jack J through line indicator and cut-off K, L at central, these latter parts being represented merely by dotted lines to avoid complication of the drawings.

The meter C comprises an electric motor M and a registering mechanism indicated diagrammatically by the registering disk D. The motor armature a is geared through the worm wheel (1 directly, as shown in the drawing, to the indicating disk D, but it will be understood that any other suitable gearing may be employed either in this same ratio, or to further multiply the gear relation of the armature to the indicating disk. The electric motor is shown in Fig. 1 as a series motor having its leads 3.and 4 connected in the line 2 of the subscribers instruments and bridged by a: condenser E. This condenser E breaks the continuity of the line current between the motor terminals, but permits the passage of voice currents in the line. I

An, inductive resistance or retardation coil F is inserted in the motor circuit in series with the armature to choke back and eliminate any noises that might be produced and impressed upon the l1ne from the commutator of the motor. I

In order to. insurea constant speed for the motor I provide a regulating resistance, shown diagrammatically at R, and controlled in an suitable manner,such as by a centrifugal, governor G mounted upon or controlled by the armature shaft of the motor as shown. In the series type of motor this regulating resistance R is normally short circuited through the overnor Gr, this short circuit being opened %y the governor to insert the resistance when the motor enceeds a predetermined speed. The cord circuitat the central ofice, represented at H, is merely representative of any suitable circuitthat may be employed, being shown as the well known 4-relay common battery type, having battery 12. conremoves his receiver from the hook, the line circuit is closed from the line battery at central through conductors l and 2, motor lead 3, the windings of motor 0, motor lead l, inductive resistance l and returned to battery. iThe motor l d is thus started and be gins registering the use of the instrument,

The voice currents of course pass directly.

from the subscribers instruments over conductors l and 2 through condenser it] to cen tral. When the operator central plugs in, the battery it is connected to line and re places the line battery which is removed by the cut-oil relay L. Having ascertained the number of the wanted subscriber, the calling plug is inserted in the calling jack J of subscriber V i hen subscriber removes the receiver from the hook his meter C is set in operation and registers in a manner similar to that described in connection with subscriber A. This registering of both meters is, however, adjusted in the settlement on an equitable basis, as above stated.

I have described the meter as located at the subscribers stations, but this is not essential, as the meter ma be located at the central oiiice. l have alho described the meter as beginning to operate by current from the line battery when the calling subscriber removes his receiver trom the hook,but if it is preferred, a line battery may be employed of insuiiicient strength to operate the meter motor so that the motor will not begin to operate until the operator atcentral plugs in and connects the battery of the cord circuit to line. Also, although Ii have described but two. types cit motor, namely, a series motor and a shunt motor, ll wish it understood that I may employ other types when found desirable, such as the compound wound motor. Many other modifications may be made, moreover, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and these I wish it understood fall strictly within the scope and purview thereof,

nears-s 'Having thus described my invention what ll claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a telephone system, a time registering device, an electric motor fol-driving the same, speech transmitting and receiving instruments, and circuit connections completed by init-iatin the use of said instruments to operate saic motor.

2. In a telephone system, a line circuit, a

time registering device, an electric motor connected to said line circuit for driving said registering device, speech transmitting and receiving instruments, and a condenser in the line circuit bridged across the motor terminals. I

8. In a telephone system, a line circuit, a

time registerin device, an electric motor ing instruments and means to complete the motor circuit to line when said instruments are in use, a condenser in the line circuit bridged across the motor terminals, and an inductive resistance included in the arma" ture circuit or the motor.

5. in a telephone system, a line circuit, a time registering device, an electric motor connected to said line circuit and having a rotatable armature geared to said registering device, and automatic means forgot erning the speed of said motor.

6. In a telephone system, a line circuit, a time registering device, an electric motor connected to said line circuit and having a rotatable armature geared to said registering device, speech transmitting and receiving instruments and means to complete the motel-circuit to line when said instruments are in use, and means controlled by the retation of said armature to govern the speed of said motor.

7'. In a telephone system, a subscribers station and a central ofiiee, a time register ing' device at the ;subscribers station, an

electric motor forvdriving the same, speech transmitting and receiving instruments at the subscribers station, a source of electric current at. the central ofice, and contacts closed by initiating'the use of said instruments to complete the circuit oii said motor while said instruments are in use.

8. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, talking apparatus lilo states associated with the line, .time registering mechanism, an electric motor for such mechanism, and means for closing the circuit of such'motor by initiating the use of the talking apparatus.

9. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, talking apparatus associated with the line, time registering mechanism, an electric motor for such mech anism, and a switch operatedv by the talking apparatus for directly controlling the motor circuit.

10. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, talking apparatus associated with the line, time registering mechanism, an electric motor in circuit with the talking apparatus for controlling said mechanism, and a switch governed by the use of the talking apparatus for controlling the motor circuit.

11. As a means for registering the time a telephonelineis in use, talking apparatus associated with the line, means controlling the use of the talking apparatus, time regis tering mechanism, a rotary motor for such mechanism, and an operating circuit for the motor directly controlled by, the talking apparatus cont-rolling means.

I 12. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, talking apparatus associated with the line, time registering mechanism, an electric motor controlling said time registering mechanism, and switch contacts in circuit with said motor for controlling said motor, said switch contacts operated by the telephone switch hook.

13. As a means for registering thetime a telephone line is in use, talking apparatus associated with the line, time registering mechanism, an electric motor in circuit with the talking apparatus for controlling said 15. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, the combination of a telephone line, a substation on said line, a

central'station, a source of current at said central station adapted to be connected. in circuit with said line, time registering mechanism at the substation,-an electric motor in .said line controlling the time registering mechanism operated by current from said source, substation talking apparatus depending for its operation on current from said source and a switch governed by the use of the talking apparatus, controlling said motor.

' 16. As a means for registering the time a telephone line is in use, substation apparatus, a central station, a telephone line therebetween, a source of current at the central station, time registering mechanism, an electric motor controlling such mechanism, said substation apparatus depending for its operation upon said central source, the opera tion of the motor being controlled by the use of the substation talkin apparatus.

In testimon' whereo l affix my slgnature in presence 0 two Witnesses.

RAY H. MANSUN. Witnesses A. J. Ronnn'rs, Geo. A. Scovrnrn. 

